New drawing Vanitas 9 (09-14-2016)

I started a new drawing for Vanitas series a few days ago. Just like the last piece, this is done in pastel on black charcoal paper. The size is 20" x 16". I like this composition a lot. I came up with this final design by collaging 3 different photos together, using the best part of each image.

Line drawing copied onto a sheet of black paper from the composite photo sketch.

After adding a general wash of brown orchre.

The face is pretty much done and I have moved onto the body. At this point, before adding any tonal nuances, I laied down 3 different colors to create the basic skin tones.

Vanitas 6 complete

I decided not to do anything to the negative space. As they say, less is more. This drawing is already illustrative enough in several ways. Adding anything else on top of this would have made this piece overly "preachy". I did a little more fine-tuning around the hand and the arm, then this one's finished.

Vanitas 6 Update (08-07-2016)

Well, the figure part of this drawing (22" x 15") is almost finished. The hand and arm still need a little more work. I am not 100% sure about what to do with the background though... Should I just leave it blank just as it is??? I need to think.

Vanitas 7 started

Here is a new piece I started yesterday, "Vanitas 7". This is on Bristol board and I am planning on working primarily in charcoal but also thinking about mixing in some other media, possibly graphite and/or watercolor for a little bit of color. Will see...

Vanitas 5

I did this small (9" x 9") graphite drawing last week. As a part of the upcoming Urban Scrawl weekend in Franklinton Arts District, I was asked if I was interested in contributing a small artwork to be exhibited during the event in the adjacent gallery space: OAL X Space. This piece was done based on a photograph I got from one of the earlier photo sessions with my model Lea. I had always wanted to use this image for my piece and this was the perfect chance to do so.